Elk River Golf Team Takes on the Snow, Looks to Change Sport from Spring to Fall

To beat the wintertime blues and recent snow, the Elk River High School golf team held their own mock golf tournament on Thursday. It's not just for fun; there's a reason behind the outdoor event.

Coach Dave Conley came up with the idea Wednesday night. Once they got the go-ahead from the Elk River Golf Club on Thursday morning, they began making a course on the driving range.

They played a scramble with 12 two-man teams.

"Each of them hit it and then they take the best shot and each of them hit that," Conley said. "They have to end up in the hula hoop and then they put that score down. So if they hit it three different times and it goes in the hula hoop they have a three for the hole," he said.

"Other cities, they're just basically sitting inside right now and instead we're out golfing and just swinging the clubs," Braiden Loreno said.

The conditions were not the best to perfect his swing, but this year he's feeling lucky, he said.

"I've played golf for the past five years and hopefully I'll make junior varsity or varsity this year."

Conley says spring golf is a tricky one. You're at the mercy of Mother Nature most times. So for the past 15 years he's been trying to get the Minnesota State High School League to change golf from spring to fall.

"We're doing some research on it to see if we can do some fall golf," Conley said.